From: Richard Hawley [brorichard@earthlink.net]
Sent: Saturday, September 07, 2002 2:44 PM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: 02N-0209-Request for Comments on First Amendment Issues
Dear FDA:
The Supreme Court errored 100 years ago or so when it ruled that a corporation is "a person" entitled to the same rights as a citizen under the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution. Rather, a corporation is a legal entity which can be created, destroyed, and modified by government. A corporation is created and sanctioned by the people and should be controlled by the people. Unfortunately, the public is now essentially controlled by corporations which have virtually taken over government at both the federal and state levels by buying off our so-called public servants.
While corporations need to have rules upon which they can depend for successful operation, these rules/regulations are not "rights" in any sense that one would apply to citizens of a constitutional republic -- you know, they kind where citizens voluntarily come together and give up a portion of individual sovereignty to secure the blessings of such a compact. That's what we are supposed to have, and I don't want to see that eroded further by a move as ridiculous as granting corporations "free speech" to advertise as they see fit, guaranteed by a "bill of corporate rights."
Corporations are an effective tool of our political/economic/social system and should serve that system. Should a better tool arise in future, the people should be free to replace the former with the latter. Let's not "hard wire" this particular commercial model into our republic forever and over time become a dinosaur society.
Best Regards, Richard
Richard Hawley, 408-249-8749, rhawley@stanfordalumni.org
1155 Lenor Way, San Jose CA 95128-4113
Entrepreneurs want to privatize only the benefits; the costs they are happy to socialize.